


Soothe

by herbailiwick



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Phone Calls & Telephones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-31
Updated: 2013-07-31
Packaged: 2017-12-22 00:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/906995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herbailiwick/pseuds/herbailiwick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For notyourstandardops, who prompted: "Sastiel, a bath and pajamas and bedtime. *-*"</p><p>Cas is away. Sam and Dean miss him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soothe

"Quit mopin', Sammy. It's been, what, two days?" Dean said gruffly, but Sam could tell Dean missed him too.

"I'm not," Sam said, determinedly trying to focus on the pages of his book again instead of eyeing the crack between the musty curtains where the light was fading fast.

"It's good for him," Dean said a little uncertainly.

Sam snorted, though he nodded. "Yeah. Family reunion."

"You're jealous," Dean said suddenly, and Sam clapped his book shut, setting it on the rickety end table.

"Jealous?" asked Sam, eyeing the subtle but ugly green and yellow curves on the curtains.

"Think some old flame's gonna catch Cas's eye, don't you?"

"Shut up."

"Why would I shut up? This is hilarious." Dean paused when Sam remained tense. "Sam? Hey, it's okay. Look, why don't you scrub the hell out of that tub and kick back."

"That's gross," Sam said, making a face. He did turn to look at Dean, though.

"The hot water'll be good, though. It's actually a pretty big tub. I'd take advantage if I were you, considering."

Sam narrowed his eyes, but he did feel twitchy enough to consider trying it, depending on how the thing looked. He stalked over to the bathroom quietly, flicking the dim light on and assessing.

Dean poked his head in over Sam's shoulder. "We've seen worse," he pointed out. "I'll get the cleaner." He patted Sam on the back. Sam made a face again, but Dean was long gone. Sam turned his eyes to look at the mirror above the sink, sour expression falling away a little. 

Dean shoved at Sam to get him out of the way, leaning over the tub, spraying cleaner, wiping at the tub with a rag. "Looks clean, but you never know," he decided.

"Do you think he's really okay?" Sam blurted out.

Dean shrugged. "Maybe. He's...he's in good hands. We gotta believe that. Otherwise, both of us'd be climbin' up the walls."  

Sam watched quietly as Dean finished, starting the water, testing the taps, rinsing out the tub thoroughly. "Thanks," he muttered.

"You were makin' me nervous with all that staring. Just don't think about it. Go get your book, bring it in here, sit here for a while and relax. For both our sakes."

Book held limply in his hand as he watched his brother finish up, Sam remembered why Dean was his everything. Cas was also his everything, but Dean was Dean. He tightened his grip on the book slightly.

"Few months from now, you two'll have worked through all this bullshit," Dean said, rolling his eyes. He turned the taps one last time, adjusting them how Sam would want them. "Strip. Get in. Suck it up. Old angel pals aren't a threat, not now. They'll take care of him. He's...plucky."

Sam snorted. "Thanks, Dean," he murmured again, running his fingers over the old hardback cover of the library book with its familiar texture.

"You owe me," Dean said. "I don't know what, but I'll take my payment later, when that asshole's back."

Sam smiled slightly.

Sam didn't fit into tubs all that well, but Dean was right about the current tub being slightly more accommodating than the average one. Despite his worry, Sam did relax a little in the lapping heat of the tub, and he focused a little on the book. It was an old collection of horror short stories, some of which he'd read, some of which he hadn't. They did a pretty good job of keeping his mind off Cas.

When he got out and dried off, he felt like the difference between crisp spaghetti noodles ready to snap and soft, pliable ones ready to cover themselves in sauce and call it a day, as if the warm water had transformed him.

Digging for pajamas, though, the book almost half-off the end table, he found one of Cas's undershirts that had been shoved into his duffle.

Carefully eyeing Dean out of the corner of his eye, Sam contemplated whether to shove it under his covers in order to smell it and touch it as he went to sleep. It was beyond weird, even if they _were_ a thing. Sam was used to being weird, though. Still, it was better not to have Dean go off on him about being creepy.

Sam's phone rang. Dean's lip quirked in a mysterious manner, and Sam frowned at what it could mean, but he went ahead and reached into his discarded jeans for his cell phone.

"Cas!" he breathed.

"Sam." There was a smile in Cas's voice. There was...singing in the background.

"Is that...singing?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Campfire songs. From Heaven," Cas chuckled. Sam chuckled too. "You probably know a few. You said Lucifer sang to you at times."

Sam swallowed. "Uh. Yeah, he did," he admitted, eyes slowly moving to glance over at Dean, who was trying to look like he was incredibly interested in the TV Guide.

"Maybe that was inappropriate to say," Cas said thoughtfully.

"No. It's okay. I'll let you know if I'm uncomfortable with...that topic, alright?"

"Alright."

There was a bit of a silence.

"So...you're having fun?"

"Yes. I've met angels I hadn't seen in centuries. This is wonderful, Metatron being a dick aside."

"That's great, Cas. That's...really great." 

"And you? How have you been?"

"Well, I went to the library. It was small, but it had all these comfy chairs, and it was right next to a coffee shop. I think you would have liked it," Sam babbled. He bit his lip against wanting to say he missed Cas.

"And you took a bath," Dean pointed out.

"Ha. Yeah, I did," Sam told Cas, forgetting Cas didn't have superior hearing anymore.

"Did what?"

Sam sighed. "Right. Uh, I took a bath."

"Oh." Cas paused. Sam wondered at how awkward things had apparently just become.

"Cas?"

"Um. I'm attempting not to imagine that."

Sam snickered. "Really?"

Cas's voice lowered, his mouth apparently closer to the receiver. "You are...very beautiful," he praised. 

Sam laughed, delighted. "Uh. Thanks, Cas," he said, tucking some of his hair behind his ear.

"Gross," Dean commented.  Sam glanced at him, then rolled his eyes.

"Anyways, Cas. I'm glad you called. I, uh." He hesitated, then charged ahead. "I missed you. A lot. It was pathetic. I'm glad you're having fun."

"I've missed you too," Cas said happily. "Calling you, that was good?"

"That was...very, _very_ good," Sam said honestly.

"We're about to have a big mutual rest. It's interesting. Sleeping is still so strange to me. I suppose you're about to turn in too?"

"Was thinking about it. Yeah."

"I could, uh. Can you not...tell Dean?"

"What? What are you going to do?" Sam said with a hint of worry.

"Put on your pajamas, get into bed, and tell me when you're there."

Sam frowned, puzzled, but he did as Castiel asked, slowly settling down in the bed, leaving the undershirt half hanging out of the duffle so he could see it. "Uh. Okay. I'm in bed. What is it?"

Cas got close to the receiver again and started to sing a soft piece of music in Enochian. Sam could make a little of it out. It sounded like..."A lullaby?" he interrupted.

"You weren't supposed to tell Dean!" Cas complained.

Dean started to laugh. "Are you two serious right now? Oh, Sammy. I expected maybe a little phone sex, but this is just wrong. I'm gonna go take a walk."

"Sorry, Cas," Sam said. "I just...caught some of the words. I didn't mean to blurt it out. Dean left to take a walk."

Cas sighed. "Okay. Go ahead and turn out the light, Sam. I'll sing to you. Don't interrupt me."

"Wait. Cas, why do angels need lullabies?"

"For humans, of course. To guard them, to soothe them." Cas started singing again, and Sam could make out the words, "Do not be afraid."

Sam didn't turn out the light, but when Dean got back, he did. And he picked up the phone because Sam had actually fallen asleep.

"Sam?" Cas asked on the other end.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said. "He fell asleep."

"Thanks for telling me to call him, Dean," Cas said, grateful. "I'm having a good time here. I miss you two, though."

"We miss you too, Cas. We'll be hunting again before you know it. Enjoy your bit of angelic peace."

"Have a good night, Dean."

"You too."

"Wait. Dean?"

Dean paused, asking, "What is it, Cas?"

"Would you like me to sing you a lullaby too? I just learned a new one today. It's beautiful."

Dean leaned over Sam assessingly for a few quiet moments. 

"Okay," he finally said. "Let me get ready and turn out the light."


End file.
